By Olivia Norton
Here at Southern Virginia University, it’s no surprise to hear someone say that they came here to play a sport. However, in the eyes of one athlete, sports isn’t why he stayed.
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mikaera Puriri (‘24), better known as Mika. Mika came to Southern Virginia University to pursue rugby. His rugby career started as a young age, influnced through his dad’s New Zealand culture. Although he was somewhat pressured into playing, Mika commented, “It’s something I’ve always loved and [have] always wanted to do in my life.” He mainly plays as a flanker and scrum half, but is always willing to play whatever position his coaches need him to. Mika’s hope is to keep rugby in his life by either coaching or refereeing one day.
During our conversation, I asked Mika about his experience at Southern Virginia and he replied with the following:
“Overall it’s been a really positive experience. I feel like it’s been a wild roller coaster at times, but altogether it’s been really good and I enjoy being here.”
When asked to go into more detail about why Southern Virginia is so great, he stated,
“I think it’s just the friends I’ve made and the people I’ve met. Whether it’s through sports, clubs, church, or class. The people make all the difference and that’s probably the aspect I love the most.”
Not only is Mika involved rugby, but also the Polynesian Heritage Association. He can also be found at both church and school activities. The people that Mika met by participating in these events are the real reason why Southern Virginia is amazing to him, and ultimately why he chose to call this place home.
A lot of students here at Southern Virginia University can relate to Mika… Most students came to Southern Virginia for either sports, music, or art (maybe all three). Southern Virginia has great teams and great programs. But, the best part of Southern Virginia is the people and how diverse the community is.
Student Highlight: Why Mika Stayed was originally published in The Herald on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
